Rain alarm



Sept. 20, 1949. E H, W||55Ty 5R 2,482,448

' RAIN ALARM Filed Dec. -1o, 194e Inventor 2l I Edward H. Wiest Si:Ik

i 9 24 uw l a Attorneys Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIN ALARM Edward H. Wiest, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.

Application December 10, 1946, Serial No. 715,268

2 Claims. (Cl. 20D-52) This invention rela-tes to improvements in rain alarms.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved rain alarm or switch mechanism whose contacts will be held in open position by means of a frangible and replaceable trigger strip which will act to close the contacts of said switch mechanism when rain water falls upon the trigger strip causing the same to break.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved frangible trigger strip having reinforced ends adapted to be associated with any desired form of mechanical or electrical signal device for normally holding the said mechanism inoperative until the trigger strip is weakened and broken by being moistened by rain water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rain alarm or switch mechanism which will include a resiliently tensioned contact bar adapted to be held in open circuit position by means of removable trigger strips secured at the opposite ends of the switch housing to overlie Said Contact bar, said trigger strip being breakable when wet by rain water thereby permitting the switch mechanism to operate a signal or alarm.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved frangible trigger strip held switch mechanism Which will be highly eflicient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved rain alarm or frangible trigger strip operable switch mechanism;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the improved device;

Figure 3 is a View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a vfrangible trigger strip.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accomh panying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a suitable housing generally designated by the reference numeral I, being of substantially rectangular shape and provided with a bottom 2 removably attached to the housing I by means of the screws 3.

A switch 4 is suitably supported in the housing I and includes the upwardly extending operator rod 5 which extends upwardly through an opening 6 in the top of the housing I and is provided with a peripheral ilange 'I upon which the coil spring 8 is seated. A collar 9 of insulating material is disposed concentrically about the opening and is suitably attached to the upper surface of the top of the housing I. A slidable cap member Il) of insulating material is disposed about the upper end of the collar 9 and is formed with a reduced seat II in its upper end for receiving the upper end of the coil spring B. A bridge member or extension I2 is integrally formed with the cap member I!! and extends upwardly therefrom. The switch li is normally closed when the operator rod 5 is in its raised position, but is adapted to be held open when forced downwardly and a thin frangible paper trigger strip I3 is secured tightly across the top of the bridge I2 and made fast at the ends of the housing I.

An electric buzzer or other desired signal clevice as generally denoted by the reference numeral I4 is suitably supported in the housing I and is connected by means of the electric conductor wires I5 in series with the switch 4 and with a source of electric current supply (not shown).

The .frangible trigger strips I3 are formed of thin strips of tissue paper with their opposite ends thickened or reinforced at I6 to be pierced by the outwardly extending pins I 'I and I8 extending through the end walls of the housing I.

Spaced ears I9 and 20 are formed on each end of the housing I and are connected by the hinge pins 2| upon which the trigger strip securing plates 22 are pivotally mounted, the same being apertured or formed with sockets 23 for receiving the ends of the pins Il and I8 when the keeper plates 22 are turned to lie in parallel relation with the ends of the housing I. Springs 24 will be provided for resiliently holding the keeper plates 22 in closed position when a trigger strip I3 is in place holding the switch 4 in open circuit position.

In operation, the cap member lil will be depressed to force the contacts of the switch open, and a trigger strip I3 is placed on one pin I'I and secured by turning the keeper plate 22 upwardly, then the strip I'I is extended over the upper surface of the bridge l2 while depressed and its opposite end secured on the pin I8 and the keeper plate 22 snapped into locked position.

The device is connected With a source of current supply (not shown) and then placed where rain may fall on the irangible trigger strip so that when it rains, the rain Water will Wet the strip permitting the same to break, thereby releasing the contacts in the switch to close the circuit to operate the signal buzzer.

As before mentionedthe improved trigger strips I3 may be used equally well in connectionfwith: any desired form of mechanical signal device for normally holding the same inoperative, as wellV as with switch controlled electrical signal devices.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant` invention has been illustrated and. desribwed,v it,A

will be understood that it is not intended ltoA limit the scope of the invention thereto, a'sma'y' minor changes in detail of construction maybe resorted to Without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus describedmyinventionwhat Iv claim as newand desireto'secure by Letters'Patent of the United States is:

1; A rain alarmY comprising a housing 'ofinsulating material, an' electricsvvitch supported within said housing including anoperator rod, said housing havingan openingloosely receiving said operator rod; an insulated sleeve loosely* embracing 'saidgoperatorrod and iilxed at oneend to said z' tive to said housing, said strip including thickened end portions and said means for supporting the ends of said strip includes anchor pins carried by said housing and projecting therefrom for engaging the ends of said strip, a pair of xed ears carried by said housing adjacent each of said pins, a locking plate pivoted on each pair of ears bearing against the ends ,of said strip, and a recess provided in each of said plates for engaging said anctwriipins- 2.' Ina rainalarm includingfa housing; and an electric switch supported Within the housing having an operator rod, said housing having an openingr. loosely receiving said operator rod; the imp'rlo'vement of which comprises, a sleeve xed to said-housingandembracing said operator rod, a

cap slidably carried by said sleeve, a coil spring embracingsai'd'operator rod, a flange carried by said operator rod, said spring biased between said cap and said flange-for urging said cap outwardly relative `to-said housing, a frangiblevstrip havingN its ends anchored to said h'tn`1s ing','.saidA strip engaging Vsaid cap to compress the'c'oil springl and for retaining the operator rod in a depressed circuit-open fposition, pressure platesi hinged '.to

sa'id housing and bearing against the le'n'dsjof said; stri p, larid 'anchor Ypins -carried by said 'housing4 engaging the' ends ofi said' Strip', said pressure platesshielding said anchor pins'fM 2,

`H WIEST, Sii.`

RFRENCES' C'I'TED'- T/he following references vare of recordin the'v le of this patent:v

UNI'rED'sTA-TES PTA'IENTS* 

